John a



(No Model. J.- A. OPENER.

SUPPORT FOR FIRE HOSE.-

.No. 443,460. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES @m N 846w.

BY OAa/a g 40 the three posts.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN A. OFFNER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO ALEXANDER J. ABRAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

SUPPORT FOR FIRE-HOSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,460, dated December 23, 1890. Application filed August 13,1890. Serial No. 361,891. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. OFFNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports'for Fire-Hose, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for supporting fire-hose at an elevated position above IO the tracks of street-cars in order to avoid plbstructing the passage of the cars in time of re. a

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a View of the device, showing a portion of fire-hose raised above the top of the cars of a double-track road. Fig.2 shows a view of one of the derricks and the means whereby the hose is elevated. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the hose, the trough, and

the suspending-hook. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the top portion of one of the derricks, showing the pulley'block thereof.

The letterA designates the fire-hose, which is carried over the tops of the cars 13, which run on a street-railway track; 0, the three posts of the derrick, which have points 91 at their lower ends in order to prevent slipping,

and the upper ends are joined together by a 0 pivot-bolt a. Two of these derricks are used,

one on either side of the track. The pivotbolt to passes loosely through the posts 0 of the derrick and has suitable means a to prevent it from slipping through the posts. A

5 pulley block or hanger cl has a pulley d, and is supported by the bolt (1. The two sides of the hanger take on either side of the center post 0 and between it and the two side post-s.

Thereby the pulley d hangs in the center of Over the pulley cl passes the rope e for raising or lowering the hose.

At one end of this rope is a suspension-hook f, and at the other is a hook or ring 9 to take over a hook or pin h on one of the derrick- 5 1posts when it is desired to support the firelose.

A hose-trough D is semicircular in cross section, and has attached on either side, at a point distant from the end equal to one-third the length of the trough, a hinged plate 2', which has at its free end a hole j, through which passes the suspending hook f, attached to the rope e. The short portion of the trough,

or the one-third length 70, extends toward or over the railway-track, and in use this end is also raised higher than the long end Z. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

A derrick equipped as described above is placed on either side of the car-track, and the hose A placed in the trough D, the hinges of which are then brought together and the hook f inserted into the holes j thereof, after which the trough is raised by the rope e and the pulley cl, over which the rope passes.

As the long end Z of the hose-troughs is placed outward, the weight of the hose resting thereon will be greater than at the short end 70. Consequently the troughs, when in use, will assume an inclined position, as shown, with their elevated ends confronting each other and supporting the hose between them.

It will now be seen that the hose on the two troughs will form an arch m over the tracks.

It is obvious that the troughs may be made to receive one, two, three, or more lines of hose and support them, as described.

A fire-hose support of this kind is especially applicable for street-car lines where the endless cable is the means of propulsion.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In combination with a derrick having a pulley-block. and rope, a hose-supporting trough having but one pair of suspensionplates 2', which are attached nearer to one end than to the other, whereby when in usethe 85 trough will assume an inclined position.

2. The combination of a pair of derricks,

a pulley-block suspended from the top of each derrick, and a separate hose supporting trough for each derrick, each suspended by a 0 single rope passing over the pulley-block and connected to the trough at a point nearer one end than the other, whereby when in use each trough may assume an inclined position end of the said rope will take through both of then]. to

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 3. In combination with a derrick having a the presence of two witnesses. pulley-block and rope, a hose-supporting trough having a single pair of plates, one hinged to each side and adapted to be brought together over the hose, Where a hook on the JOHN A. OFFNER. Witnesses:

A. O. BABENDREIER, W. J. HERRMANN. 

